Do you STRETCH before you ride ?

105k said:

Do you stretch before you ride ?

How long do you stretch before your rides ?

I lean down to put on my socks and shoes on. That's it. Stretching is not necessary to ride. It is an end in itself to increase flexibility. Gentle cycling is best to prepare for hard cycling.

Nope.

I do stretch back and hamstrings after riding, though. Maybe even an ITB or two if I'm feeling frisky.

Like frenchyge I stretch after riding and specifically because I'm working on improving my position on my TT bike through better flexibility.

I also stretch after some warmup and before any hard running for cyclocross ever since I pulled a calf muscle during a cross run-up.

But no, in general I don't stretch before road races, crits, club rides or general bike training.

-Dave

Much like the others I stretch only after rides and usually spend no more than 15 min on the leg muscles. If you were to insist on stretching before riding for whatever reason, you should do it after a warm up.

It all depends how advanced you are i think.
From personal experience, when i first started riding again about 6mths ago, i found that when i did stretch i couldnt feel my hammies or thighs tightening up on me, but if i didnt stretch, within a km even of slow riding, they would tighten up.

Now that i have been riding a while, im like the other guys, have a stretch after riding and generally have a bit of a stretch in the shower in the mornings as well to loosen up a bit.

I do my stretching by doing the first couple of miles at an easier pace.
I have read reports that test data confirms stretching does not help performance.
Getting lots of sleep does impact performance in a positive way.
If I could only find a study that overeating and drinking help performance I would have my triple threat.

I do only a couple of quick stretches before riding just to limber up a bit. It's not really required or anything though. Just like was mentioned before, stretching is better post-ride because the muscles are warmed up and stretch easier with less risk of tearing or straining.

I am very bad as far as flexibility goes, and a newbie as well (although I've been doing streches everyday now for 2 months and improved). I strech before and after every ride.

I don't stretch before I ride, but I do stretch my calves sometimes during a long ride, and I always do a gentle stretch after a ride.

My usual after ride stretch is just a slow toe touching type movement that a physical therapist showed me years ago after an injury.

Feet shoulder width apart, bend at the waist and just let the arms hang down.

Don't push or force your hands to the floor, just let the weight of your upper body slowly loosen the muscles till your hands are on the floor.

I'd tell you it's like Yoga....................

..........but we all know real men don't do Yoga! :eek: 😄

From what I have been taught (from USA Cycling and USA Skiing and Snowboarding) static stretching before an athletic event is bad and actually weakens you as it takes away the elasticity in your muscles. Dynamic stretching (where you don't hold the stretch) such as a high kick is good before exercise (after a short warm up). As many other have posted stretching is great after exercise.

Even better than stretching is rolling on a foam roller!

I stretch before very long, cold rides.

Helps prevent 'winter shrinkage'.

I always stretch before and after, and during rest stops. Helps prevent hamstring, quad and calf cramps.

cyberlegend1994 said:

I always stretch before and after, and during rest stops. Helps prevent hamstring, quad and calf cramps.

+1... Hammy stretches especially...to keep my lower back from failing.

BetterRide said:

From what I have been taught (from USA Cycling and USA Skiing and Snowboarding) static stretching before an athletic event is bad and actually weakens you as it takes away the elasticity in your muscles. Dynamic stretching (where you don't hold the stretch) such as a high kick is good before exercise (after a short warm up). As many other have posted stretching is great after exercise.

Even better than stretching is rolling on a foam roller!

Yup, that's what I've heard too!

. . . and while that foam roller hurts like h*ll, it's amazing.

BetterRide said:

From what I have been taught (from USA Cycling and USA Skiing and Snowboarding) static stretching before an athletic event is bad and actually weakens you as it takes away the elasticity in your muscles. Dynamic stretching (where you don't hold the stretch) such as a high kick is good before exercise (after a short warm up). As many other have posted stretching is great after exercise.

Even better than stretching is rolling on a foam roller!

I have read similar studies looking at this, static stretching being the main culprit of any negativity. Whilst nothing is ever 100% with this sort physiology it is worth noting. The more dynamic the action the more detrimental the effects of static stretching, ie: perhaps not good for sprinter types. BUT dynamic stretches and plyometrics prior to the activity have been shown to aid this sort of explosiveness.

I don't stretch before or after a ride. I'm of the opinion that as long as you are as flexible as you need to be for your event, then anything else is not necessary and may even be detrimental.

I've never stretched before I ride. I suppose I should but after thirty years old habits and all that. I prefer to just jump on the bike and get going. I stretch out on the sofa when I return though. i wish i had a quid for every time my wife had told me I can't sit down until i have a shower.

Nope. Only after.

Dave